Carpet tank build.

cichlidconvert

cichlidconvert

Member
I've been putting together a 45tall tank for possibly two gigs or haddoni or even a mag down the line. It's been cycling for three weeksand I've been adding microbacter7 and bb every day. Once it gets done with its cycle I will be tying it into my 46bow and 30 gallon sump where I've had that system going for two years. And I'm hoping it will help keep the new system stable. The 46 has 75 lbs of live rock and an efficient macro algae filter. With a 125 coralife skimmer. So I won't tie them together for a little bit. But I have a couple questions about gig placement while I'm moving rocks around. I've seen them in rocks mostly and sand. Or is it about having a crevice. I've kept haddoni and h.mag before but gigs would be new. And I've heard once they acclimate they can be quite hardy, is that true? I've located two healthy gigs and I'm going to look at them in an hour. I won't be buying them yet. I'm just checking them out and seeing if they will hold it till my tanks link and stabilize. Unless my plan is unsound that is.
 
I just checked out the two gigs one green and one blue. Super healthy great color, shaggy and most importantly acclimated. So let's see how my build goes and budget lol.
 
Yeah I got a picture:)
IMG_9533_zps4ae6fe0b.jpg

I hesitated posting it because it is his pic for advertising them. I'm trying to get both. He said he was in no hurry which let's me relax on the build and slow it down. Because he had a point about possible chemical warfare with a shared sump even with carbon/chemipure the possibility exists. And that is significant. I have most of what I need to do a separate sump right now. So I'm leaning that way right now.
 
I was eyeballing the same two carpets lol. I'm currently doing research to put those 2 in my 120g lol. I'm stuck on differentiating between haddoni and gigantea. I only want haddoni.

edit: I think we are looking at 2 haddoni
 
Last edited:
Gigs like rocks, but fall in between a BTA and mags in terms of how they attach - BTAs typically like a crevice while mags typically like flat surfaces and spread out their foot. IME, my gigs like smoother rocks but don't spread out like mags.

The gigs in the photos don't look healthy. They look like typical sick gigs -- balding, short tentacles, and even pastel color. They should have a brown tinge with indicates a healthy population of zooxanthellae. Freshly imported gigs do well for about 3 weeks, then start the inflation/deflation cycle that usually leads to death. All of the gigs looked decent in the store/wholesaler, so don't let this fool you into thinking the gig is healthy. Treating them with Cipro from the beginning seems to help a lot.

I think you have two options -- ask the LFS to hold them for one month (give them a deposit) or take them home now and treat them with Cipro in a QT tank. If you really do want them, it may be worth buying them so you can care for them. Not to say that your LFS won't take good care of them, but sick gigs can quickly take a turn for the worse so you need to monitor them. Make sure you QT them in separate tanks for you can treat them individually. Gigs have a way of transmitting their ailment to one another.

I personally don't like putting gigs in anything less than a 60 gallon tank, so two in a 45 would be tight. Recently I've seen people keep multiple gigs together, but I've also read reports of possible allelopathy between gigs -- one does well and the other looks as if it's suffering. I have seen multiple gigs in a huge system, but it was hundreds of gallons.
 
Thanks d-nak. Im not sure if I'll do both anyway. Budget wise, and I'm not a fan of chemical warfare. My tank is not where I want it right now. In a month it will be much closer I'm thinking. Otherwise I could buy the green right now. I want the blue but cost is an issue. The pics were taken two months ago. They look good in the store with vibrant color. He was saying he hasn't seen any deflation from them. But I have been studying cipro treatment anyway. Gotta be ready if need be. I made a couple spots in the rock work that sound like what you were suggesting.
 
cichlidconvert said:
Thanks d-nak. Im not sure if I'll do both anyway. Budget wise, and I'm not a fan of chemical warfare. My tank is not where I want it right now. In a month it will be much closer I'm thinking. Otherwise I could buy the green right now. I want the blue but cost is an issue. The pics were taken two months ago. They look good in the store with vibrant color. He was saying he hasn't seen any deflation from them. But I have been studying cipro treatment anyway. Gotta be ready if need be. I made a couple spots in the rock work that sound like what you were suggesting.
Click to expand...
I don't think you need to worry about chemical war fare between two Gigantea.
Is the LFS local to you or is he going to ship to you?. You may want to place a deposit on them so that he won't sell it. Most of the LFS will accept this.
The picture does not show healthy Giganteas. The two anemones showed is typical of new arrival anemones that are not in bad shape. Two months in his store they should look better now, if he adequately provide for them. If they are doing well and get better, and he is taken good care of them, I would not hesitant to pay the full amount and pick them up later when your tank is ready.
 
They did look better no bald spots and hairy. So I feel pretty good about it. But I am cautious buying two. They will be the only things in the tank aside from two clowns (pink skunks, saddelback,or clarkii)and maybe one or two other fish and very little coral. but it will be a species tank. I appreciate the help. Gigs are a new frontier for me.
 
I would stay away from Saddle Back. They have a very bad habit of digging and diving into the mouth of an anemone. I know of several healthy anemone get kill but Saddle Back. One of my large Haddoni was killed by my Saddle back and I know of several other people had the same thing happened to them.
Black Saddle Back with their yellow face and yellow pectoral's fins are beautiful but I will never buy another pair.
 
OrionN said:
I would stay away from Saddle Back. They have a very bad habit of digging and diving into the mouth of an anemone. I know of several healthy anemone get kill but Saddle Back. One of my large Haddoni was killed by my Saddle back and I know of several other people had the same thing happened to them.
Black Saddle Back with their yellow face and yellow pectoral's fins are beautiful but I will never buy another pair.
Click to expand...

Yea +1 on the saddle back... I had one with a RBTA that was mean to it.. Not only was she rough with the RBTA, but she was a ***** with EVERYTHING else in the tank.
 
another vote down for the saddleback, they are the best clownfish if you want to rid off your anemone the hard and brutal way.

please dont let anyone tell you otherwise, you do NOT want to take a chance with this clown with such delicate and beautiful nems, or any nems for that matter. ok i think i stretch the point enough :)
 
Well I don't need saddlebacks. I think I'm leaning towards pink skunks to be honest unless a stunning pair of clarkii show up at the lfs. My tank is getting ready to add fish so I may pick some up this week. And I'm designing my sump and adding baffles. Securing the filter sock and installing the return line. I also will be fixing and diy a broken overflow this week. There is no time like the present so I will run tests today and hit home depot for parts.
 
So I took tests after my last post and had trace ammonia. 0 nitites and 5 nitrates. Doing good for now. I'm really wanting to get a good ammonia test reading. and hope the nitrates don't peak to high. This so far has been a very mild cycle. I think its due to daily dosing of the microbacter7. One of the pieces of rock I bought this weekend had a mantis shrimp bail out of the rock I moved him to the a a breeder pen in the sump. I thought it might have been a pest in that tank. Oh and I forgot to say the store, is local. I located a pair of skunks so I might hold them a week. Just in case
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

B
Ritteri Swollen Mouth
Replies
8
Views
591
Bakeman
B
slathrum
Where to buy a reef ready aquarium these days
Replies
3
Views
43
griss
griss
Q
Which mini snail for artemia tank?
Replies
2
Views
61
griss
griss
W
Cycling new Tank
Replies
2
Views
3K
C.Eymann
C.Eymann
rockryno
32gal Maxspect Lagoon Build - Chicago Sunburst BTAS and SPS!
Replies
3
Views
122
rockryno
rockryno
Back
Top